From a distance, Mo Yachen saw Tang Li holding Ji Yu close, his face full of apology. And in Tang Li's hands… even without seeing the design, the packaging alone made it obvious—sanitary pads.
Mo Yachen removed his glasses, a satisfied, relieved smile spreading across his face.
Of course. If Ji Yu weren't truly a girl, how could Tang Li care for her so attentively? Even with surgery, female biology didn't just magically appear.
Ji Yu had been a girl from the very beginning.
With that conclusion, the phoenix-like eyes long hidden behind his lenses, for the first time, revealed a flicker of yearning.
"I wasn't thinking, okay? Didn't even notice there were so many people. Don't be mad, alright? I embarrassed myself too."
"Embarrass yourself all you want, but why drag me into it? Ugh, your brain circuit is beyond saving."
Still bickering, they wandered toward a small lakeside pavilion about a hundred meters from the training field. The bamboo shelter was shaded, breezy, and conveniently close to their next session.
In Yudu, September was still full summer. Autumn? Just a rumor. Reality in the south only offered two seasons: summer and winter.
The cicadas' droning filled the air, the hot wind so heavy it felt like the ground might melt.
Tang Li kept chattering beside her, his persistence and warmth clinging like the smell of summer itself. Ji Yu cracked open another cold drink, the chill cutting through the suffocating heat.
She ignored his babbling, her gaze drifting instead to the ducks and swans on the lake. Ripples stirred by the wind spread across the surface, nudging the waterfowl along. The blinding sun reflected off the waves, dazzling even when one looked down. Yet the quacking and splashing welcomed every overheated student who sought shade here.
"Alright, enough. I'm not mad anymore. Keep it up though, and you'll actually get me angry."
Ji Yu pulled a stick of gum from her pocket, handed it over with a smile. "Here. Chew this for a couple minutes, then drink this." She lifted her bottle of pulpy orange juice.
Tang Li grinned. "Not mad anymore, huh? Still out here trying to wear me down. Fine, I'll remember this."
He popped the gum in with exaggerated ceremony, like some TV commercial, rolling it with his tongue before chewing. Then, tilting his head toward the lake as Ji Yu had, he asked suddenly:
"So… do you get your period now?"
Ji Yu frowned. "What's that got to do with you?"
"…Just saying you should be careful. Wouldn't want an accident in public."
"You—! …Honestly, you should switch to our Broadcasting Department. You've really mastered the art of saying the worst possible thing."
Her face flushed red. Even though she still thought like a boy inside, this kind of talk made her squirm. If she were truly just another girl, she might've already thrown a slipper at his head.
"Hey, I only talk like this with you. I'd never say it to anyone else."
"Oh, so we're that close now? Hands off, mister. Men and women should keep their distance."
She shoved her half-finished drink into his hand with a teasing squint. "Here, be a good boy and finish it."
"What, you don't mind me sharing your bottle? That's an indirect kiss, you know."
The words made Ji Yu shudder all over. She shut her eyes, letting her face contort however it pleased.
Those dark, glossy eyes lingered on her, full of awkwardness. Tang Li steadied himself, unscrewed the cap, and downed the rest in one go.
Ji Yu stood with her hands behind her back, smiling like a flower. But when Tang Li suddenly grimaced, sucking in air as though struck from within, her smile blossomed into laughter.
"Hahaha! Refreshing, isn't it? That's what summer's supposed to feel like—ice-cold all the way through!"
His handsome face froze, overpowered by the magnified blast of minty chill.
Ji Yu laughed, but when Tang Li just stood there motionless afterward, her smile wavered with unease.
Slowly, she reached out and poked his chest with a finger.
Warm. Solid.
Tang Li jolted as if shocked, every nerve tense. The warmth at his chest turned into a cool hand gliding up along his neckline, tracing toward his forehead.
Ji Yu stood on tiptoe, her touch gentle—like an intimate tease between lovers.
Tang Li's face burned. Even the lake breeze carried a faint scent of gardenias, fanning the heat in his cheeks.
"I'm fine. Just… that icy combo scrambled my brain."
He lowered his head, pressing her shoulders back lightly. "Gum and ice water—that's brutal. Don't try that again."
But his grin betrayed him, mischievous and childlike. Ji Yu could already tell—he'd be pulling this trick on someone else soon.
"Come on, we'll be late. Skip roll call, and you'll be down for fifty push-ups."
The library was cool at twenty-six degrees, tea fragrance lingering in the air.
Mo Yachen sat on the sofa, but his mind was filled only with Ji Yu. The copy of The Prince in his hands brought a rare curve to his lips.
"Well, well. Who's got our Young Master Mo smiling like that?"
Yu Yuan strolled up behind him, cradling a paperback novel, curiosity written all over his face.
Nobody laughed while reading The Prince.
"You got a crush?" he asked quietly, just for the two of them.
Mo Yachen stiffened.
"She has a boyfriend. And why aren't you at training?"
Yu Yuan's sly gaze slid from Mo Yachen's face to the phone on the table beside his cup.
"So you've got her contact info already? Added her on WeChat? Know where she lives?"
"No." Mo Yachen's face stayed cold. "You're annoying. Go away."
"Pfft."
Yu Yuan chuckled, brushing back his hair before fixing Mo Yachen with a serious look. "Man, last year I thought you got over that girl-phobia of yours. Now you're acting like even I disgust you."
"You're just irritating."
"Fine, be that way with me. But with her? You can't pull that 'the whole world owes me money' face. No girl's gonna like it. Except maybe gold-diggers."
At that word, "gold-digger," Mo Yachen's expression darkened, though outwardly he remained composed.
"…I'll try to change. Then what?"
"First tell me who she is. I need to figure out her personality so I can coach you. Consider it my one contribution as your resident scumbag friend."
"Who?"
The last wisp of steam rose from his cup, fading into the air.
"First-year Broadcasting Department. Ji Yu."